Speicherstadt: HHLA Real Estate completes new construction and renovation of former central machine station

Construction work on the extensive renovation and new construction of the former central machine station in the Speicherstadt district has been underway since 2022. HHLA Real Estate has now successfully completed the construction work. The project included both the renovation in line with historic preservation guidelines and a carefully integrated new building – the only new building within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Speicherstadt. With the completion of the project, HHLA is closing a striking structural gap in the district, thereby strengthening the overall urban appearance of the historic warehouse ensemble.

The central machine station, which once served as the Speicherstadt’s energy source, has been comprehensively revitalized while preserving its cultural and historical substance. The new building blends architecturally into the historic brick landscape while meeting modern requirements for sustainability, usability, and quality of stay.

Rainer Schluff, Technical Managing Director of HHLA Immobilien: “With the completion of the central machine station, we are not only closing an urban planning gap in the Speicherstadt, but also opening up a piece of history for all Hamburg residents and visitors to our city. The careful handling of the Speicherstadt's heritage and the integration of contemporary gastronomic offerings show what lively project development in a historic building can look like today.”

A highlight of the new ground floor is the opening of Chefs Warehouse Hamburg, an internationally renowned gastronomic concept. With the restaurant, the building will be accessible and open to the general public for the first time in its history. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere and architecture of this unique location firsthand while enjoying culinary delights. The restaurant will open on February 27, 2026 – reservations can be made via the following link: www.chefswarehouse.de

Lina Koch, Managing Director and Partner at Chefs Warehouse Hamburg: “The Speicherstadt is not a place for arbitrariness. We were aware that we weren't just opening a restaurant here, but taking on responsibility. With Chefs Warehouse, we are combining the substance of this building with international cuisine that is precise in its craftsmanship and uncompromising in its standards. We want to fill this place with life – and at the same time preserve its dignity.”

With an output of over 1,000 hp, the steam engines in the former central engine room pumped water through a 15-kilometre network of pipes in the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district.  This powered the winches that pulled the goods up from the barges before lowering them down onto carts on the road after being processed in the warehouses. Electricity generated using steam dynamos was reliably supplied to the warehouse floors. By 1909, the output of the engines had tripled to 3,140 hp.

During the Second World War, the block was damaged so badly that the restoration of the central engine room was deemed unprofitable during the post-war years. The Speicherstadt historical warehouse district’s power was then changed to the decentralised supply provided by the public utility services. In 2000, the boiler house, the first part of the complex, was renovated by the Hamburg-based architectural firm gmp. Eighty years after its destruction, the central machine station is now open to the public again.

As part of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, HHLA Real Estate is responsible for building management and district development. Founded in 1885 for the construction of Hamburg's Speicherstadt, HHLA's real estate segment continues to manage this historically unique brick ensemble to this day, but has expanded its portfolio to include Hamburg's fishing port area and numerous commercial and logistics properties in the port area. In the Speicherstadt, the focus is on careful structural change and the sustainable development of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to HHLA's intelligent district management, the Speicherstadt has developed from what was once the world's largest warehouse complex into a lively inner-city district.

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